Table-mounted surgical instrument stabilizers

Abstract

A surgical instrument stabilizer system that includes an articulating boom that is releasably connectable to a surgical table side rail. The articulating boom includes an actuator, a multi-directional flexible arm having a first end region attached to the actuator, and a cable extending through the flexible arm. The cable has one end region connected to the actuator and another end region connected to a preload tensioning mechanism. The actuator is operable to tighten and loosen the cable, and the preload tensioning mechanism maintains an amount of tension in the cable when the actuator loosens the cable. The system further includes a surgical instrument-supporting member that is attached to a second end region of the flexible arm and is configured to releasably retain a surgical instrument.

We claim: 
     
       1. A surgical instrument stabilizer system comprising:
 an articulating boom that is releasably connectable to a surgical table side rail, the articulating boom comprising
 an actuator, 
 a multi-directional flexible arm having a first end region attached to the actuator, and 
 a cable extending through the flexible arm, the cable having one end region connected to the actuator and another end region connected to a preload tensioning mechanism, the preload tensioning mechanism comprising a compression spring mounted on an anchor that is attached to the cable, the actuator being operable to tighten and loosen the cable, and the preload tensioning mechanism maintaining an amount of tension in the cable when the actuator loosens the cable; and 
 
 a surgical instrument-supporting member attached to a second end region of the flexible arm, the surgical instrument being configured to releasably retain a surgical instrument. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible arm comprises a plurality of nesting links, each of the nesting links having a hemispherical end region and a concave end region, wherein the hemispherical end regions of the nesting links matingly engage the concave end regions of adjacent nesting links such that the nesting links are movable relative to one another. 
     
     
       3. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 2 , wherein a maximum diameter of the concave end region of one of the nesting links is smaller than a maximum outer diameter of the hemispherical end region of another one of the nesting links that is mated with the concave end region of the one of the nesting links. 
     
     
       4. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 2 , wherein average diameters of the nesting links progressively decrease in the direction of the surgical instrument-supporting member. 
     
     
       5. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of nesting links has an internal tubular member and an outer wall that concentrically surrounds the internal tubular member, the internal tubular member of each of the nesting links defining a lumen for passage of the cable. 
     
     
       6. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer wall defines the concave end region in each of the nesting links. 
     
     
       7. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 5 , wherein the internal tubular member of each of the nesting links extends axially beyond the outer wall. 
     
     
       8. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 5 , wherein the internal tubular member of each of the nesting links has a bottleneck configuration. 
     
     
       9. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 5 , wherein a first portion of the lumen extending along the concave end region of each of the nesting links has a smaller diameter than a second portion of the lumen extending along the hemispherical end region of each of the nesting links. 
     
     
       10. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second portion of the lumen of each of the nesting links receives therein a portion of the tubular member of an adjacent one of the nesting links. 
     
     
       11. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 10 , wherein the lumen and the tubular member of each of the nesting links are configured such that contact between the inner and outer walls, respectively, of adjacent nesting links limits rotations of the adjacent nesting links relative to one another. 
     
     
       12. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 11 , wherein a contact angle at which a compressive force of one of the nesting links contacts an adjacent one of the nesting links is 18-30 degrees. 
     
     
       13. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 5 , wherein the lumen of each of the nesting links has a first end, a central region, and a second end, and the lumen decreases in diameter from the first end to the central region and increases in diameter from the central region to the second end. 
     
     
       14. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 5 , wherein the internal members of the nesting links are shaped to maintain the cable centered within each of the nesting links when the flexible arm is bent into a non-linear configuration. 
     
     
       15. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a bulbous head, and the compression spring is mounted between the bulbous head of the anchor and a surface of the surgical instrument-supporting member. 
     
     
       16. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 15 , wherein the compression spring is biased to move the anchor and the cable away from the surface of the surgical instrument-supporting member. 
     
     
       17. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 16 , wherein the surgical instrument-supporting member comprises a collar, and the surface of the surgical instrument-supporting member is an internal surface of the collar. 
     
     
       18. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 17 , wherein the collar is configured to permit rotation of the surgical instrument-supporting member relative to the flexible arm. 
     
     
       19. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rigid arm assembly that supports the articulating boom and that is attached to a side rail of a surgical table by a clamping assembly in a manner such that the rigid arm assembly and the articulating boom can be slid along the side rail. 
     
     
       20. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a locking ball coupling that connects the rigid arm assembly to the articulating boom, wherein the locking ball coupling carries the articulating boom at the center of gravity of the articulating boom. 
     
     
       21. The surgical instrument stabilizer system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a surgical instrument that is secured in the instrument-supporting member and can be repositioned and locked in a desired position and orientation single-handedly.